Mail sorting machine



Aug. 23, 1966 H. J. KREIS 3,268,075

MAIL SORTING MACHINE Original Filed June 1, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet l m A [QINVENTOR H0 ward J. Kre/s BY Malay-Z2 4 ATTORNEY Aug. 23, 1966 H. J.KREIS MAIL SORTING MACHINE Howard J. Kre/s ATTORNEY 2 v e e if NV ENTORQ 9% mm IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII I I I Original Filed June 1, 62

Aug. 23,- 1966 H. J. KREIS 3,268,075

MAIL SORTING MACHINE Original Filed June 1, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 5INVENTOR Howard J. Kre/s ATTORNEY 23, 1966 H. J. KREIS 3,268,075

MAIL SORT ING MACHINE Original Filed June 1, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 FIG.4

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INVENTOR Howard J. Kre/s ATTORNEY Aug. 3, 1966 H. J. KREIS MAIL SORTINGMACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Original Filed June 1, 1962 Q INVENTOR HowardJ. Kre/s BY M m ATTORNEY United 3,268,075 MAIL SORTING MACHINE Howard J.Kreis, 3523 Abbie Place, Baltimore, Md. 21207 Continuation ofapplication Ser. No. 199,309, June 1, 1962. Thisapplication Jan. 19,1965, Ser. No. 429,198 1 Claim. (Cl. 209-110) This invention relatesgenerally to classifying equipment, and more particularly it pertains toa machine for automatically sorting mail. This patent application is acontinuation of US. Patent application Serial No. 199,309, filed byapplicant on June 1, 1962, for "Mail Sorting Machine, now abandoned.

An object of this invention is to provide a sorting machine whichutilizes a prepared card forming part of each piece of mail, saidmachine engaging with this mail to transport it to selected pouches orcontainers in accordance with the preparation of the card.

Another important object of this invention is to provide a specialprepared card forming a part of each piece of mail. This card isprepared by the sender at the time of addressing and is so arranged withredundancy so as to minimize error and not require special positioningfor read out at the Post Office. The card also provides for theengagement of. the mail in the sorting machine.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a classifying cardwhich can be correctly loaded into a classifying machine by the sense oftouch.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an arrangement forautomatically sorting envelope mail irrespective of the bulk orirregularity thereof.

Other objects and attendant advantages of this invention will becomemore readily apparent and understood from the following detailedspecification and accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a somewhat schematic exploded perspective view of aregistration station for a mail sorting machine embodying features ofthis invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of one end of the mail sorting machine of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an end elevation taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged top view of a gear box which actuates the mailsorting machigre;

FIG. 5 is a side view, partly broken away, of the gear box showingdetails of the oam slot;

FIG. 6 is a full size depiction of the mailing card for use withtheautomatic mail sorting machine of this invention; and

FIG. 7 is an end view of the mailing card of FIG. 6 showing a trackslide which supports it and the mail while traversing the mail sortingmachine.

Referring now to the details of the drawings, in FIG. 6 there is shown amailing card 10 of paper board similar to post card stock. Each half ofthis card 10 is printed with a predetermined arrangement of groups ofaccurately positioned characters, numerals, and letters 12, those on theright half A being arranged to be in reverse lateral order to those onthe left half B thereof.

Each letter, character, or numeral 12 is surrounded by a frangibleperforation circle 14 allowing it to be selectively punched out with thepoint of an instrument such as a pencil leaving a code aperture at thelocation on the card 10.

The bottom edge of the card 10 is gummed with an adhesive 17 forafiixing it to the edge of a letter envelope 16. The top edge of thecard 10 is folded at a right angle, and a track slide 18 in the form ofan elongated strip of the same paper board stack is symmetrically gluedthereon giving a T-shaped configurat;) the assembly when viewed end-onas shown in The card 10 may be sold with postage printed upon itas onpresent day Government post cards or a space may be provided for stampsas shown.

The mirror image halves A and B of the card when properly punched, forexample, MD for Maryland, etc. in accordance with the desired addressingof the letter allow it to be machine read from either side andadditionally gives a redundancy which checks upon itself to avoid erroras will be related.

The mail with attached card 10 is inserted in a mail sorting machine 20illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3,. Each sortingmachine 20 comprises aplurality of registration stations 22 in series, only one of which isshown and these are driven simultaneously by a motor 24. The motor 24 isbelted to a gear box 26 which provides two outputs operatingsynchronously together, namely a periodically interrupted rotaryuni-directional motion at a chain sprocket 28, and a rocking motion at apivoted rocker arm 30.

The gear box 26 is driven by the motor 24 through a drive shaft 32. Thisdrive shaft 32 carries a worm 34 which meshes with a worm wheel 36 asshown in FIGS. 4 and 5. The worm wheel 36 is secured to a shaft 38 whichalso mounts an intermittent gear 40. An intermittent pinion 42, mountedon a stub shaft 44, meshes with the intermittent gear 40 and is keyed tothe previously mentioned chain sprocket 28. Dwell areas 44 and 46 on theintermittent gear 40 and pinion 42 cause an interrupted transmission ofrotary motion therebetween. Consequently, the sprocket 28 rotates a turnand stops, then repeats in the same direction.

The worm wheel shaft 38 additionally rotates a cam wheel 48 mountedthereon. A follower 50 mounted on one leg of the pivoted rocker arm 30traces a circular and traversing the plurality of registration stations22,

there is provided an endless chain 60 driven by the sprocket 28. Thechain 60 travels in a chain guide 62 and mounts a plurality of outwardlyextending fingers 64 at regular intervals.

Each registration station 22 has a pair of spaced opposed U-shaped guidechannels 66 and 68, the latter one being retractable on a rod 72 awayfrom the former through the action of a spring return solenoid 70.

A pair of idler rollers 74 are journalled within these guide channels 66and 68 so as to bear down upon the track slide 18 of the card 10 of apiece of mail inserted into the slot-like ends of the guide channels 66and 68.

As the chain 60 moves, a finger 64 thereof engages with the card 10 andpushes it completely into the slot where the motion is halted as thechain 60 makes one of its periodic stops. It is to be noted that theletter envelope (or mail) 16 attached to the card 10 depends downwardwith it being suspended by the track slide 18 which is captivatedbetween the lower flanges of the guide channels 66 and 68 when they arein near abutment.

At this time, while card 10 is at a standstill, the crank shaft 58 movesa registration plate assembly 74 along guide pins 76 through the actionof a crank arm and linkage 78. This advances two sets of spring loadedpins 80 against the card 10, one set the right side of card 10 and 3 theother set for the left side. Because the card is symmetrically arrangedand punched, the facing direction for left or right is unimportant andthe mail sorting machine 20, therefore, can be loaded by a blind person.

The pins 80 of each registration station 22 are differently located.Therefore, each station 22 seeks out a unique combination of punched outletters or numerals (perforation circles) 14 of the card 10. Should thiscombination be found, the pins 80 pass through the card 10 and through afemale registration plate 82 to impinge upon floating insulatedactuators 84 which are loosely captive in a holder plate 86. Anapertured guide plate 88 then directs each insulated acuator 84 againstan in dividual electrical contact assembly-90.

These contact assemblies 90 for each registration station 22 are wiredin series. If all the combinations of card 10 punched out letters ornumerals are satisfied for both right and left sides of the card, allthe contact assemblies 90 close and actuate the solenoid 70.

The solenoid 70 moves the guide channel 68 as shown in phantom lines inFIG. 3, where guide latch 73, which is gravity operated on the hingepoint of a rivet 77, retains it by means of a slot 75 provided in thesolenoid shaft 72 until the registration plate assembly 74 returns toits standstill position, and card 10 is then released and allowed todrop into a pouch or receptacle beneath. Optionally, the released card10 may be directed to drop into another sorting machine for second stagesorting. As chain 60 begins its next advance, it immediately actuateslatch 73, thus releasing guide channel 68 to return to near abutmentwith the guide 66. v

The card 10 moves laterally if the solenoid 70 is not actuated andpasses under the urging of a chain finger 64 into the guide channels 66and 68 of the adjustment registration station 22 of the same mailsorting machine 20 where the previously described combination sensingprocess is repeated for a different combination of punched out lettersor numerals.

Thus, it will be obvious that each registration station 22 senses one ofthe codes comprising the combination punched out on a card 10. Aplurality of mail sorting machines 20 automatically senses the entireaddress and thus sorts the mail.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention arepossible in light of the above teachings. It is, therefore, to beunderstood that within the scope of the appended claim the invention maybe practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

What is claimed is:

In combination, a plurality of pieces of mail each having coded indiciathereon and means forming a T- shaped configuration extendinglongitudinally thereof and a machine for sorting said pieces of mailaccording to said coded indicia, comprising at least one registrationstation having means for engaging said means forming said T- shapedconfiguration during the presence of each piece of said mail in saidregistration station, means for passing longitudinally, one-by-one, saidpieces of mail through said registration station, said registrationstation having means positioned on one side of said pieces of mailpassing therethrough for seeking and finding certain coded indicia ofsaid coded indicia on said pieces of mail and means responsive to thefinding of said certain coded indicia for releasing the mailcorresponding thereto from said passing means, with said coded indiciaincluding said certain coded indicia on said pieces of mail beingpresent in symmetrical reverse lateral order and being common to eachside thereof, whereby the sides of said pieces of mail can be reversedwith respect to said registration station.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,784,083 12/1930Wild 198-38 X 2,697,514 12/1954 Stahl.

2,706,599 4/1955 Smith 235-61.12 2,881,917 4/1959 Brown 198-38 X3,026,029 3/1962 Daniels 235-61.l2 3,126,837 3/1964 Noye 198-38 X ROBERTB. REEVES, Primary Examiner.

